Microsoft Preps Longhorn Blockbuster for PDC 2005

No one was more disappointed than I was in the Longhorn content that Microsoft provided at April's Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2005, but the software giant appears ready to make up for that lackluster showing this September. That's when Microsoft will host its Professional Developers Conference (PDC) 2005 in Los Angeles. After a quick look at the conference tracks and sessions. I can see that it's going to be a much more exciting event than WinHEC.

PDC 2005 will feature developer focused presentations discussions and technology explorations into the future of the Microsoft platform including the latest developer news about Windows Longhorn and Microsoft Office 12 a Microsoft representative told me yesterday. The PDC is the definitive Microsoft event for software developers.

Indeed, PDC 2005 appears to be designed specifically to right the wrongs of WinHEC 2005. For example, instead of the warmed over look at Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) features from Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) that we were tortured with at WinHEC. PDC 2005 will include a session on new developer features in IE 7.0. Longhorn naturally is well represented as well with sessions on the Longhorn User Experience Guidelines. Longhorn Server the new PeerNet peer-to-peer (P2P) features Longhorn client security features, system reliability, ClickOnce deployment, and more. Microsoft Office 12 sessions will focus on new features in Office 12, the new Office 12 file formats, Visual Studio Tools for the Microsoft Office System v3, and the new Microsoft Office System Search Technology.

As you might expect, I'll be at PDC 2005 for the duration. I booked my hotel reservations late last year and will provide full coverage of the show which runs from September 13 through 16 in Los Angeles. If you plan to attend PDC 2005, sign up early. If you're concerned at all about the future of Windows, you don't want to miss this event.